Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-12-30

i1.'t.'i' = ~. ga -. :-}-, ~.. - = i|-,i-
lar liiof. fpt oY2. 49, iI.st boy,
was very foni OF fast horsr, and, b.
ing an excellent driver for lis YEAR,
obtained .ralJitous ride, and occ; SION
al quarters icy taking occasional p"s-
scngers to t..eir different destinations
for Mr.. Potter.
But tie arrival Of The stare, with Mr..
Anterior and one other passenGcr-a
small. silent man, who only spok" -
monosyliahlcS. whose features ! !
could not distinguish in the gathering
darkness -Glova ,:oc's communication
and the mysterious occupant OF the par
lor, alike, from his mind, till after she
discovery Of the robbery of Mrs. Ma
sons room, when, as | have said, her
husbands sudden reference to the loss
Of the cloak caused a new idea TO occur
to him, which brought the incident just
narrated freshly to mind, and sent him
rushing from the room. Not only this,
but, growing into an almost certainty
as he hurried along, it added such
speed to his flying feet that, on his al
rival at Potter's, in a flushed and
heated condition, Tad stumbled almost
head-first against the small, silent man
who had been Mr.. Atherton's fellow
passenger, as he was walking the piazza
with cigar in his mouth. Hastily ex-
cusing himself, Tad burst into the Of
flee, where Mr.. Potter, who weighed
nearly three hundred pounds, was sit
ting in his shirt-sleeves, reading the
Nev England Farmer.
Say, Mr.. Potter" gasped Tad,
breath!cssly, show long has Joe been
gone with that person-passenger-in
the long black cloak?"
"Eh?" responded Mr.. Potter, look
ing up from his paper and speaking
with aggravating deliheration, chow
long? Lemme see. Mira" raising
his voice for the benefit of his wife, in
the other room, show long that young
Whitney ben away with that air lady
passenger-tnc one IL such Il tremen-
dous hurry to Sit to Middlcborrer?'
Tad. with feverish Impotence,
awaited the answer. The small man
on the piazza, near the open door, must
have been of u rather inquisitivc nat
ure; for, holding his cigar between hi.;
fingers, and his head little 10 OILS
SIDE, he, too. sceinc,! 10 listen for ~.
Potter's response.
pretty nigh half n hour" called
Mira. Potter. through, the half-open
door. 'Why, who wants to know?'
"Me-Tad Thornc, Mrs. Potter" e:,-
claimed Tad, in an agitated voice, AM!
oh, Mr.. Potter! 'front.' you have the sor-
rel mare put right in quick, so Can
drive off after her-I mean him
dressed ua ir, Mrs. Mason's cloak. and
catch EN- before 'he-she-gets to Mid
dlcboror'
"Why, what on earth is the matter
with you?" demanded Mrs. Potter, with
some asperiy, as she bounced into the
Office.
Its that Forrest his name is
Jones-I mean Edwards" poor Tad
exclaimed, incoherently, "he's stole
Mr.. Atherton's handbag, full o.
di'muns and papers, and dressed up in
Mrs. Mason's clothes and cloak
"Mr. Potter"' interrupted a quick
and somewhat imperious voice, pro-
ceeding from the smoker of the piazza
who, tlinging his cigar aside, suddenly
appeared inside the door, "havc YOU
fastest horse put into light buggy,
and be quick about it!' And in tn;
voice, as well as its owner, Tad. with q
great thrill of joy, recognized City De-
tective Blossom, who, it will be re
membered, had caused Mr.. Jones to
restore the little alligator-skin sache
to Tad, in the streets of Boston, n long
time before.
"Tell him tho sorrel mare, Mr.
Blossom" cried Tad, who was wildly
excited; "she can trot ever so mucl
faster than Brown Pete-and oh
please let me go, toor'
The detective glanced sharply a
Tad, and nodded. "You can 60" h,
said, briefly. "The sorrel mare, Mr.
Potter. and be quick about it," h,
added; and, greatly bewildered, Mr.
Potter bawled his directions to hi
wife. who repeated them from the bacl
window to the hostler, in the stable
yard.
"How was it?" asked Mr.. Blossom
in his curt way, as Tad followed hin
out on the piazza. And Tad succeeded
in giving a tolerably succinct account
of the robbery and leading circum
stances which had made him almos
positive as to the guilty person.
"Smart boy" the detective. re
marked, approvingly, as the bugg,
ratified round to the door; ''jump in'
And, springing after Tad, Mr.. Blossom
snatched the reins from the hostler',
hands, chirruped to the sorrel mare
and they were of.
"It's a straight road to Middleboro-
only one HILL" gasped Tad, whose
breath was almost taken away by thu
rapidity with which the light buggy
was being whirled along behind tn,
nimble heels of the sorrel mare. A.
long as he lives he will never forge;
that night drive over the level, dusty
highway, lined on either side by Tho
dense piny growth peculiar to the New
England States. The moon wa.
nearly full. and as it gradually ros,
above the tree-tops great patche.
of alternate light and shadows were
thrown across the road. Mr.. Bios
som, whose thin, keen face did mo-
show the slightest trace of emotion, sal
bolt-upright on the buggy-seat. will
feet firmly braced, his short muscular
arms extended straight out before
him, as rigid rs bars of steel from the
tautened reins, which were wound il
one turn about each of his small, ncr
vous hands.
Evidently Mr.. Blossom not only
knew how to drive but how to get al
possible speed out of the sorrel mare
With her small ears laid back and hel
nose pointing forward, the intelligent
animal seemed to understand that now
| If ever her hest efforts xyere roouirad